Forfeit the Game
by dwindling flame
Summary: Vongola. Shimon. Their paths has crossed once again. In order to mend the broken bonds of the past, sacrifices had to be made... and Tsuna was willing to give up his freedom to correct his mistake... and then fight for the life he sacrificed.
1. Chapter 1

**©dwindling flame**

HEY BABY, I'M BAAACK.

Yeahhh, I know it's been like… almost 2 years since I've done anything… but I swear I wanted to. D:

I was just… all lazy and stuff… And of course finishing high school and starting college was a bit hectic… Can you believe it? I was a junior when I wrote Puberty's Chokehold and here I am, a freshmen in college coming to you with another one. UNFORTUNATELY, this one isn't just smut like the last. ): It's a story with a plot that… probably won't be very romantic. D;

Just like the last, this is another role play from gaia that just started a few days ago and is already so amazing that I must make a fanfic out of it. It will be edited to be story friendly, but just in case you notice different writing styles, I am Tsuna, and my Enma/co-writer is I D e r a K i t. She is love. Since we go pretty fast, I'd say weekly updates might be in order. Of course, if the role play should lag a little, updates will be a little slow. And bear with us; while we have a general idea of the plot; a lot of this is made up with each post.

**Spoilers** ahead if you aren't up to date with the manga!

Since the manga isn't this far, we've decided the fate of all the fights, and we also changed the outcome of the fight with Ryohei and Koyo. We made it so that Ryohei won. And… we're bullshitting/making up Enma's abilities… and Tsuna's new ones; since we have no idea what they are. XD

I hope you don't mind long chapters... :3

**And as of right now, there aren't any pairings. There will be implied Tsuna x Enma (friendship for now) but the plot isn't very romance friendly. However, just be warned, that should romance ever appear, be prepared for 2700.**

Constructive criticism will help us improve.

**Disclaimer**: I reserve no right to KHR. Wish I did, though… ):

* * *

_- Forfeit the Game -_

* * *

They would _never_ know what it was like.

Watching his final guardian be taken down by the Vendice in chains into the abyss of darkness that none of them could identify made his stomach tie up into knots and his throat be swollen with grief to the point where air scarcely could pass so that he could continue the shallow breaths. They all went down assuring that he was the boss to follow. He was the one that was right and they would follow him to the end, they _did_ follow him to the end. And though his fight to take down the Vongola for the sake of their revenge was his top priority, his heart was screaming each time he watched them fall.

That wasn't supposed to happen.

The Vongola were the ones that were supposed to be suffering now, and falling so that their numbers diminished.

Their boss was the one that was supposed to go through this agony.

That Sawada Tsunayoshi was the monster here! He was the leader of this murderous, hateful family!

How could things keep going this way?

The boy had grown up without his parents. They had been taken away so soon, but only after he knew of the pain that his family, the Shimon family, had endured all these years and continued to. They were a small family. They never hurt anyone. They had gotten their start with the Vongola! But they had been abandoned. They had been betrayed! They had been cast aside! That was why they suffered today. That was why he had to watch as his family was slaughtered before his eyes.

That was why, and how, he found his irreplaceable guardians who had experienced the same pain that he fought with every day.

They had that bond that they shared undeniably. It was that pain and loss that was their fire and determination. They were inseparable and they fought for each other no matter the cost. It had always been that way. And though Enma knew he was the same, and that he would do all he ever could for his friends, his guardians, his family, and was ready to do those "anythings" at any moment, he had never thought it through enough to really realize that, of course, they were all on the same page. He had never thought it through to think that he might have to watch this very situation one day and see them hurt or see them be taken away.

The sight of their blood spilling, no matter if it was a drop, or more, it was just far too much.

Even so, he could not tell them to stop. He would not. This was what they had fought for and prepared for all these years. He would get them back. They would reach their goal. The Vongola would pay, and Tsuna would be the one to pay the price most of all. He was the one who disillusioned so many into following him. He was the one who was leading the actions of this new generation of Vongola, and he would be responsible. That was why they had needed to stop the ceremony. He would ruin the Vongola. He would crush them. Shimon would be the name to remember once more. It was why he had to become stronger. It was why he was always fighting. Pain was the obstacle he had to always overcome again and again to attain that sought after strength.

Was that what this moment would accomplish for him too?

. . . It had to.

Though it seemed like an eternity, at most it was only several moments before the boy shut the pain out of his eyes, only to replace it with determination and anger before he was gone from the sight of the tenth generation Vongola. That was enough for today. Even now he knew that he had to be careful. He had to do this just right. He needed time to collect himself and ready himself.

Besides, tomorrow… Tomorrow he would reach his peak of strength with the rings. Tomorrow would be when it all came together. He would be damned if he let his impatience for revenge get the best of him after all they had worked for. There was no way that he would let the Vongola find him before he wanted them to, either. This would be his moment of truth. This would be the moment he would turn it all around. His family's sacrifices would not be made in vain. _Neither_ of his families would. He would make it all right, no matter the cost. He was ready to give up his own life for that. He had always been prepared for that.

He was sure that they had never known, but he'd always been watching from the fight with that Ryohei against Aoba. He hadn't understood how that boy had overcome his own comrade. It was like he'd had a stronger driving force. But… that was just impossible. Their fight was pure. Their fight was just! They were making what was wrong, right again! But… the idea that the driving force had been stronger, somehow, had echoed in every fight after.

Even for that Lambo brat!

How could a child be so affected by a corrupt boss? How could he possibly be fooled into believing that such a man could build such a strong family? What lies could they have fed him? But then he had such a devoted right hand man as well. He was so vicious to defend his boss, like he was some hero. Even for someone who didn't seem to care at all about that family had come to defend him. A young girl who seemed to not fit within the team at all fought on that side! A girl who should have been dead! Oh, of course they knew. Their information was much more vast than the Vongola would have believed.

They were not fools.

And then... Then there was that..! He just still did not understand how that baseball boy rose to fight… healed only to come back to fight for that side again! He had gotten hurt, nearly killed because of those people. So how could he not see? Why would he fight? That group was so disillusioned, just like the rest! Like the Vongola was some saving grace! Like they were different and they weren't murderers.

But they just didn't know better.

They hadn't watched their families and friends be killed. They hadn't seen what he had. They hadn't felt what he had. And those weren't things that could just be understood with a caring heart or some kind of sympathetic imagination. No. You only understood if you had endured that pain. Only when you fought to stay alive, no matter how much of a nightmare each moment seemed to be. It hurt. It always hurt and it never got easier… but it would. He knew that his soul would be at ease, and so would every other of those he had lost, that _they_ had lost, when those responsible suffered as well. It was why he couldn't and wouldn't rest.

As he came to rest in his chosen place within the forest, he looked out over the nearby cliff. This island... This island would be where it was all finally solved. His family had finally come so far. They had made it to the point they had dreamed of. It wasn't perfect. They all weren't together… but he would finish it for all of them. He would get them back. He would make it up to them too. He was fighting for those of the past and the present.

Sighing, the young red haired boy closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree behind him. Looking down to the ring on his hand, he could feel the strength and hope of his family within it. He felt their strength. Enma hadn't lost hope. Though his heart ached, and though he still felt the guilt of not being able to protect them all better, he would fix it. He would make it up to them. "We're almost there." He murmured as he closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. He wasn't wrong. He had given them a chance, and Tsuna hadn't cared. He had ignored it. He was fake. He had gotten that message loud and clear! No matter what he said or acted like, he was only out for himself. He just made those happy who would work in his favor. He wasn't who he made himself out to be. He wasn't the sweet innocent kid who really cared. He had almost believed it. Almost.

"I won't lose."

And when morning came, his strength would finally match his drive and he would have his turn to fight. He would finally reach his goal. No…

_Their_ goal.

* * *

Tsuna shouldn't have changed his mind. If there was one thing he should have learned from the beginning, it would be that he should never agree to anything that would involve his family and friends… And yet again; that's what he did.

Looking down to his feet, the chocolate eyed boy wrapped his arms around his knees, giving a blank stare. This always happened to him… From the day Reborn got into his life until now; he had always said "No" but was forced to do things that he never wanted to. He was forced to "find guardians". He was forced to "train to become the tenth boss of the Vongola". He was forced to defeat Mukuro, Xanxus, and Byakuran. Never had he really been given a choice to do as he pleased… And every time he was forced to do something, everyone he loved, along with himself, was put in danger.

He couldn't count the amount of times someone in his newly formed family has been worked to a near death state. He never understood why, after nearly murdering a group of teens, who he had never spoken to before Reborn came in his life, would still stick by him. Friends don't cause friends to risk their life in a war they shouldn't be a part of. Why would they willingly endanger themselves for him? He wasn't that important. He wasn't that special… He didn't even want this. It was almost as if they wanted this more than him. There were so many questions that were going through his mind but there was only one that bothered him most of all…

Why?

Why is it that when he finally had the choice to escape from this life, to escape from the danger, he chose to jump right back into it? Becoming the tenth boss wasn't mandatory. Reborn wasn't holding a gun to his head or kicking him face first into danger. The Ninth wasn't holding him against a wall, with a knife at his neck. The Ninth's guardians weren't holding his family hostage, saying that they'd murder them if he didn't comply with their wishes. No… For once, he was given the choice. The choice to run or the choice to step up into a world that he didn't want to be a part of.

At first, he had followed his heart. He ran. He wasn't going to be the Tenth. He wasn't ready. He wasn't capable. But no… Just because someone was hurt over the ceremony; he decides to go through with it. Why? Wouldn't a cancelled ceremony have made the enemies leave? Wouldn't him not being boss cause all the hits on his head to go away? He would have no long have been associated with the Mafia… right?

So _why_ did he change his mind?

Tsuna grinded his teeth together, closing his eyes, as if it would make all of his problems go away. He wanted revenge when he had learned that Yamamoto was attacked by someone because of him. He should have learned that revenge in the mafia world never ends well. Not only did he almost get Ryohei murdered (he was hanging on by a thread after his fight), but everyone else who fought for him had survived, even if it was a close call.

He thinks that Lambo was the one who faired the best out of all of them. He didn't even know _how_ Yamamoto managed to defeat Kaoru… He wouldn't be surprised if Yamamoto was going to be crippled all of his life. He could only be grateful that they all survived and that the final battle was now on his shoulders, but this could have all been avoided if he never accepted the proposal to be boss. The ceremony would have been cancelled… and Shimon wouldn't have been able to get Sin.

The thought of the red head caused Tsuna to open his eyes. '_Enma…'_

Reaching down to the necklace around his neck, he pulled out the two rings around it. Placing Nuts between his fingers, he stared at the shiny, lion shaped metal. It reminded him of how much Enma loved Nuts… He never would have imagined that the boy, who was just as hopeless as he was, would have been able to do this to him. He thought he had found someone in the mafia world who could relate with him…

Now they were enemies… And he only fueled Enma's anger an pain. All of Enma's guardians were gone; once again destroyed by the Vongola… He could only say that he knew that this wasn't betrayal… This was to protect his own family. Shimon betrayed them by befriending them and then trying to kill them. Since when did two wrongs make it right? Why couldn't they just… get along…?

Now he had the toughest battle ahead… Defeat Enma and exile him once again, or lose and have Enma live alone, or be attacked by his own guardians… Tsuna knew that they'd avenge him… It was just in their blood… but it wasn't fair. Enma didn't deserve to be alone anymore…

Sighing, Tsuna placed the rings back in his shirt, looking towards the rest of his family. Everyone else was awake, just as nervous as he was (minus Lambo, of course).

Gokudera was sitting there, ignoring the blissfully snoring Lambo who was sprawled across the bomber's lap. Yamamoto was against a tree, his eyes drooping out of fatigue. Near him was Ryohei, who was slowly pacing in circles, refusing to sit and let his weakened muscles relax. He figured that if he worked them for a bit, they'd heal faster… Tsuna sighed; only Ryohei. Hibari was nowhere to be found, as usual. Chrome was with them, hugging her staff in an attempt to sleep. Of course, he couldn't tell whether Reborn was asleep or not. His eyes were wide open, but that didn't mean anything.

Shaking his head, Tsuna stood up, ignoring the eyes that followed him. Walking through the trees, Tsuna made his way over to a cliff that stood above that random city he had seen earlier after their fight with Shitt-P. Looking at the demolished buildings, Tsuna sat, letting the wind blow through his hair.

Tomorrow was the big day.

Tomorrow was when he'd have to face reality. He's had to send Enma to his "grave". He couldn't let his family down… He just… had to finish this. He had to get the last piece of the puzzle between Vongola and the Shimon. He wanted to know why; why did Enma trick him? Weren't they happy? Weren't they friends? Enma said he felt like they were close; and Tsuna could tell that it was genuine. What could have caused him to snap? There had to be more to it than the past happenings between the Primo and Cozart. What could he have done wrong…? After their talk that night, it was almost as if they had created a new level of friendship…

This change was just too sudden for Tsuna to fathom.

Sighing, Tsuna laid back on the ground, letting his arms fall to the side as he stared up at the moon above. '_Enma…What were you thinking…?'_ he thought, trying to disregard the burning sensation in his nose. What was he doing? How was he doing…? Was he looking at this moon too? Was he nervous? Was he confident that he would win? Tsuna's vision blurred as the burning in his nose intensified. Biting his lip, Tsuna forced his eyes shut, feeling the cool tears slid down the side of his face, rolling down into his ears, making him shiver slightly.

Taking in a deep breath, Tsuna willed the rest of his frustrations back inside of him. There was no need to break down now. He needed all of that pain; that anger. He needed it to fuel his battle. He needed it, coupled with the love of his friends, to protect him and bring him to victory.

Bringing one arm up, Tsuna wiped away the straw tears, sniffling, before taking another deep breath. Placing his arm on his stomach, he continued to stare at the moon. It wasn't long before his head fell to the right, staring in the direction of his next battle.

He knew where Enma was. He knew that, just a few miles in that direction, he would have to face off against a young boy who too, shouldn't have been forced to deal with such things…

Sighing helplessly, Tsuna shut his eyes trying not to dwell anymore on it. He had to rest… he had to be fit for the next day…

Trying to clear his mind, Tsuna let the darkness of his eyelids and the gentle sounds of the night lull him into a restful state. Completely lost in his world, Tsuna disregarded the colors that began to explode behind his eyelids and the tingling in his body. Slowly but surely, his breath started to deepen to a steady pace. It was almost as if his mind had detached from his body. He felt so warm, so light… so worry free. Embracing the moment, Tsuna slowly fell into a deep sleep, feeling slight warmth coming from the rings around his neck.

Tonight would probably be his last night to sleep so soundly…

* * *

TBC

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	2. Chapter 2

**©dwindling flame**

Hi baby cakes, how you doin'?

I thank everyone who reviewed and/or added this story to their alert list!

Now, I'd like to address something that was brought to my attention. **CH0C0CANDYZ** has inquired as to how the Vongola rings were separated after their upgrade. The answer? I'm an idiot and I forgot all about the upgrade. ): So, towards that little fail, disregard that the rings were separated. While Tsuna's upgraded ring is still… two rings connected by a chain on his middle and little finger… we'll just assume that those are the "rings". Okay?

Another thing, Vendicare prison is weird. I've seen it spelled Vindice and Vindice… so for simplicity's sake, just know they're the same thing should you see alternation. And as for the question about Ryohei, I mentioned it in the A/N last chapter: We changed the outcome. He won his match and is still present. Also, since this was written before the release of the last chapter, this is where things get different. :] We all know how Enma reacted before will be completely different from how he is in this fic.

And I'm sorry to those who wished I could have continued _Puberty's Chokehold_. It really was a short, random idea so I have no idea where I'd go with that. If I should ever think of anything, I'll continue it. But you have to keep supporting me to motivate me, okay? :D

**Disclaimer:** I reserve no right to KHR.

* * *

_Forfeit the Game_

_

* * *

_

It was just a few days ago… It hadn't even been a week since the inheritance ceremony! It hadn't even been a week since he had his family at his side, still determined to fight. But it was just so disturbing; it was something he couldn't get over, that when it had just been a few days before when they had all been with him, just as nervous, just as anxious, and all trying to manage some sort of smile - just for his sake. Maybe that was why he felt so much guilt now. He was the last one that had been left standing, and he had not made the sacrifice that they had.

He just... He felt awful.

He felt alone. He felt so angry and cold. He wouldn't forgive them for this. He was disturbed by the idea of what they could have been enduring now. The Vindice... Hardly a thing was known about them. Only that if you were taken by them, you had committed a truly horrible crime, or something of the like. You were locked in their prison, never to escape.

He knew that the Vongola's Rokudo Mukuro had been taken by the Vindice for the things he had done, but of course... his sentence wouldn't be for forever. They had already heard of the future escape. Of course, he was not surprised. That man was much like the man of the same position within the Primo's first guardians. That man had been just as conniving. He had been just as evil.

It truly was amazing, in actuality, the resemblance between the Primo Famiglia and this tenth generation. But that was hardly a good thing. The first family had such a mark against them... That was why it was so befitting for this generation to be the one to pay. He had almost been lured in just like Cozart. There was something about these people within the Sawada. They had a way of getting you to trust them. They had a way of making you think that maybe, just maybe, there was a way...

Until it all changed at the very last moment, leaving you to question yourself as to how you could have been fooled, and it was too late to change a thing.

Though Enma knew he had their base to return to, that mansion was much too large, much too cold to return to all by himself. He couldn't stand to face those empty halls and rooms alone. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He should have been able to return with them all, knowing that it was the Vongola Decimo who was feeling the pain that he was now. It should have been the Vongola Decimo who was worrying about the pain and loneliness of his guardians, unable to know what the state of their well-being was.

He knew that he could not second guess himself in whether what he had done was right - he knew that he'd had no choice - because this was what they had all decided on. And he still had a chance to make it all right, knowing that if - no... when he won, he would get to make everything right. He would get the final piece of these deceptive memories, he would get his family back one way or another, and the Vongola would be gone. Finally. He was going to end them. That end was just hours away.

He had been waiting all of his life. Ever since he had seen what haunted his mind during every waking moment, and replaced every dream with a nightmare, this had been what he waited for. After all the hard work, all the sacrifices, all the pain that he, and the others, had endured.. It would pay off. They would get their sought after resolution. He would make sure that whatever pain his friends, his family, were enduring now would not be in vain.

It hurt enough to know that he was putting them through this as it was. It hurt enough to know that it would be so hard to look them in the eye after he got them back for letting them endure what they did. He didn't blame them for their losses. He saw it as a failure of his own. He saw it as another reason to hate their enemy. It wasn't as if they hadn't prepared, after all. It wasn't as if they hadn't fought with all they had. Their mean, their reason, for their fight... It wasn't as if that in itself wasn't strong or true enough. It was a pure cause! They were redeeming their family! They were fighting for those who had been hurt, in any way, by the Vongola and their carelessness and heartlessness.

Shaking his head, he opened his eyes to look at the sky, listening to the sounds of the island, their island, around them. He could feel the excitement in his bones of reaching the resolution. He could feel the anxiousness that kept him from relaxing. His body was tense and ready, and his heart was beating steady and strong in his chest.

A hand went behind his head, the other that rested over his stomach, fisting in that same anxiousness that kept him so wide awake. Though everything around him was so comforting and peaceful, his mind and heart were not the same. He could find no peace, no ease with which he could rest. Though he knew that sleep would have been his best preparation for the following day and his fight, he couldn't find it in him. This would be a long night with simple reflection and contemplation. Besides.. He simply could not rest easy, knowing that his friends, surely, could not do the same.

When morning came, he was wide awake. Standing, every cell in his body seemed to be electrified with the anxiousness he had been feeling, growing inside him, for hours. Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes and looked to the sky that was beginning to color as the sun rose.

As he felt the breath slowly escape his lungs, he felt a great calm and confidence come over him. This was the time. It was now that he would fight, and win, to make everything worthwhile. The time of the resolution was upon him. Looking down at the ring on his hand once more, he felt the spirit and strength of his friends around him.

Just because the Vindice had taken them didn't mean that their bond was severed. Even death couldn't do that for them. Their bond was something much too deep for that. It was too strong. So, tightening his hand into a fist once more, he remembered each face, knowing that he could practically hear their voices, even now, backing him, assuring him, motivating him. He wouldn't be alone in this fight.

Turning, he walked into the woods, feet carrying him automatically to the destination that was undeniable in his mind. He had not stayed far from it during the night, it took mere minutes to arrive at the location, and when he did, the wind was blowing softly, whistling through the trees that surrounded.

It was an open field, large and wide open, surrounded by the thick forest. But from where he stood, the edges that led into the forest again were somewhat hard to see. In the corner, there was a lake bed that fed into the water supply around the island. It looked to be a completely peaceful place, one that would presumably be to rest at. It seemed perfectly contradictory that this would be the site of their long awaited battle. And as he approached the center, he stopped and then waited.

The Vongola would get here soon enough. For now, he simply slipped his hands into his pockets and closed his eyes, allowing himself to simply listen to his surroundings once more. This was the calm before the storm.

* * *

The cool, nippy air slowly brought Tsuna out of his sleep. With haze eyes, Tsuna looked up to the bright yellow sky, feeling the slight heat from the sun as it started to rise. Blinking away the fatigue from his eyes, Tsuna rolled over on his side, ignoring the cold, wet dew that had drenched his clothes. Shivering slightly, the boy sighed, noting that he could barely make out the puff of visible air that was his breath. Pushing himself up, Tsuna got into a sitting position, using his arms to prop him up.

The cool breeze attacked his face mercilessly, almost as if it was intent on waking him up. Cold was one of the easiest ways to jump start a body and he was being overloaded by it.

Wrapping his arms around his body, the unofficial Tenth boss of the Vongola stood, rubbing his arms tenderly. It was so bright out today. There were little wisp of clouds in the air, seemingly floating by across the sky. The sun looked large and a bright, orange-yellow color. Sighing, Tsuna shielded his eyes from the sun, letting the warmth heat up his chilled skin. In such a crucial time, it would suck if he got sick, but that was the least of his worries. He was sure, if he did get sick, it would be after the battle, so he was fine for now…

In a general sense.

In that instant, the just by mere thought of the battle, all of the past happenings came rushing back to him: the inheritance ceremony, Shimon, the history between Shimon and the Vongola, the 6 previous battles for their freedom… and Tsuna's final battle. It was just like that, that Tsuna felt the entire world fall on his back.

Biting his lip, Tsuna hugged himself tighter, turning his back to the cliff and the sun. He had to get back to his family. He knew it was a bit early, for now, but there was nothing more he could do. He was cold, nervous, scared… He knew he wasn't alone, but for some reason, he felt alone. He never felt such a burden being placed on him before.

Sure, he wasn't sure if he could ever say he could relate to Enma, since the boy was alone right now, preparing to defeat him and be the only survivor of the Shimon family, but Tsuna was damn sure that Enma couldn't relate to the conflict going on inside Tsuna's heart. He didn't want to cause Enma to be locked away for all of eternity. He really feels like Enma is just bitter and doesn't realize that all of this loss was for no reason. This could have been avoided. Revenge never solved anything.

When would they understand…?

Tsuna turned back towards the forest, walking in the direction of the camp where he left the rest of his friends. Upon reaching, he was met by a sight he wished wouldn't have to end. All of his guardians we scattered about the forest in their own special position, sleeping (somewhat) soundly.

Gokudera was against a tree, a slightly irritated look on his face as Lambo snuggled up to his chest, snoring quietly. Ryohei had given in to his fatigue, and was now sprawled, unsophisticatedly along the rocky terrain. Chrome was in a small ball, hugging her staff to her chest, which rose and fell with each gentle breath. Yamamoto was lying on his back in a pile of leaves, snoring quietly, twitching occasionally. Hibari was… still nowhere to be seen.

Smiling gently, Tsuna leaned against a tree. He was glad that they were able to rest. "If only it could always remain this peaceful…" he whispered, sliding to the ground, letting his back graze down the bark of the tree. Bringing his knees back up to his chest, Tsuna rested his elbows on them, and then placed his head in his palm, his gaze trailing over the serene scene once more. However, there was something wrong with the picture… Something was definitely off.

Tsuna blinked, glancing around for a certain cursed baby. "Where's Re-"

"Dame, Tsuna. Pay more attention to your surroundings."

There he is.

Blinking, Tsuna looked over to his right, seeing Reborn standing there, looking at him with that large, bead like eyes. After all the time he spent with Reborn, he still could never read that blank face of his, though for some reason, it was definitely easier tonight.

Reborn was worried.

Saying nothing, Tsuna simply lowered his head between his knees, taking in another slow, deep breath. Reborn sat with him in silence, for once, not hitting him in an attempt to get him ready. Despite his raging emotions, and shredded heart, Tsuna was ready. He knew he had to protect his family and while he didn't want to hurt Enma; he knew he had to. As his role as… boss, Tsuna had to do what was right for his family… And sparing Enma out of pity wasn't the way to go about being a good leader.

He didn't want to flaunt power or harm people. He just wanted everyone to be friends and safe away from all of this mafia business… But Tsuna couldn't get that; not yet anyway. Maybe after this, he's had to truthfully think about his position as the 10th. Can he deal with this all of his life? Could he really be able to live with all the death and destruction he's had to see. Tsuna didn't want the blood of innocent people on his hands…

Tsuna rested his head against the bark, noticing that Gokudera had begun to rustle, which in turn woke Lambo up, who entered into a fit only a 5 year old could pull off. Lambo's screams, in turn interrupted the slumbers of the rest of his guardians. Tsuna smiled So much for peaceful…

Listening to Gokudera and Lambo bicker was like music to his ears. Oh, how he loved that sound. They were so cute together when they were arguing. It made Tsuna feel like he was at home in his bed, watching Lambo blow things in his room, which was always fixed, mysteriously enough.

It wasn't until Chrome walked over to Tsuna, rubbing the sleep out of her lone eye that everyone else noticed him sitting there, with a small smile on his face. Tsuna was almost expecting the light hearted atmosphere to be taken over by tension, but to his surprise it didn't. And it all started with a smile from Chrome, a thumb up from Gokudera and Ryohei, and a hand on the head from Yamamoto.

His guardians stood by him… They under stood him. They supported him. They believed in him. Looking at each one of them separately, Tsuna could feel a smile coming to his face along with the burning sensation he had felt the night before. He knew exactly what was going on…

His vision was blurring.

Looking down to Reborn, the baby looked at him blankly, before giving him a small nod, trying to hide his smile behind he's fedora. Smiling brightly, Tsuna closed his eyes, wiping away his tears before they even had a chance to fall. Standing abruptly, he balled his hands into a fist, looking at each of his guardians. Nodding to them and getting a nod in return, the silent agreement that it was time to leave was reached. Turning away, Tsuna began to walk in the direction of the battle, knowing that his friends; his family, was behind him every step of the way.

Time for this to end.

Upon reaching the field, Tsuna felt his stomach twist in knots. Before him stood the last member of Shimon. On the other side of the field, he could see the bright red hair that belonged to Enma. It was then that he knew that the end was eminent. All he had to do was step in that ring, and Vindice would appear. They would make their wager on who gets taken and who survives. And that is when Tsuna will have to officially fight for his life and shit freedom.

Taking a deep breath, Tsuna looked back at his guardians once more before turning back to the "playing field", walking forward. As he stepped into what he was sure was the designated fighting area, Tsuna braced himself, staring at Enma, who appears to have lost all connection to the real world. He stood there, hands in his pocket, looking exactly how Tsuna remembered him; small and frail. The only difference is that Tsuna could feel the power radiating off of him. He could sense the anger and hatred bubbling up in the pit Enma's stomach. Anyone would have known that. But now… now it was time.

"Enma!"

The sound of his name being called shortly after he faintly heard the sounds of their footsteps for their arrival brought him to open his eyes and look to the brunette boy that stood on the other side of the deceptively calm field. He found no surprise in the fact that the boy found his way here. It was to be expected, even if the locations of their battles were never discussed. They had been chosen by himself, and his family; chosen by the path that they watched the Vongola take, and where they would find themselves at the greatest advantage, or simply, where they felt the most comfortable fighting.

This was where he knew he had to fight. He had just known that this.. This should be the place where it all came to an end. With the strong earth beneath him, and the sky above.. This was where they would clash. Inside his pocket, his hands clenched once more as he turned to face the boy that stood opposite him. Their battle of pride.. Just what would Tsunayoshi claim as his pride? Did he even truly know what pride was? Maybe he thought he did, but Enma wondered. He knew that his own pride was strong. His own pride was undeniable.

Biting his lower lip, Tsuna kept walking forward, getting closer to Enma, who just… stood there. He looked so perfectly calm… so collected… so nonchalant. It was almost as if he had no doubt that he would beat Tsuna… All traces of fear and sadness seemed to disappear from Tsuna at that moment.

How dare he be so cocky? How dare he be standing there, looking like he didn't just lose his entire family? Yes, Tsuna knew that Enma had no other choice but to accept their family's loss… but he was standing there as if it didn't happen… or as if he knew their fight wasn't in vain. Tsuna knew that Enma was complete now… It had been 7 days, today, that they started this journey. 7 days was how long Enma said he would be complete. Is this why he was standing there, looking like he already won? He was finally complete? His powers were at max?

Tsuna was worried. If the Vongola and Shimon were supposed to be neck and neck, if Tsuna won here, did this mean that he too, was complete? Or is his ring currently only partly complete? Even though Tsuna just upgraded his ring, would there be more power to be added to it? He didn't know… He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out… There was only one thing he knew, he couldn't lose here.

He didn't want things to end this way, but it wasn't going to end with him going to Vindice and leaving the rest of his family here. That much was for certain. Not giving up, not giving in when his life or his family's life was in danger; that was his pride. He had discovered his pride, and he was going to make sure that his pride won him this battle.

His pride as a protector.

"This has been what I've waited for. What my family has waited for, all these years." He said, the strength of his voice matching the will of his heart, though seeming to defy a body which seemed so frail. But that was a deception, too. "It was our pride that brought us this far. It was our pride that brought us strength. We, who continued standing, took on the pride of each of those who fell, whom we held dear, so that it would not be lost." His eyes narrowed. Tsuna didn't know what it was like to watch loved ones die. He didn't know what it was like to face persecution that so often turned deadly when you weren't careful. He understood so little.

Hearing Enma's voice, Tsuna was snapped out of his musings. That voice sent chills down his body. There was so much power, so much conviction in that voice. Enma wasn't backing down. He could tell. As Enma's words continued to flow out of his mouth, Tsuna could only feel more and more strings tugging at his heart.

Enma's pride… wasn't too far off from his own. Enma treasured his family and was turning their losses into strength. He just barely noticed how much narrow Enma's eyes got as he spoke. He could feel the venom in those words. He knew that Enma was bitter. He couldn't blame him… however… he wanted to blame him. He wanted to feel the anger against him for doing all of this. While Enma was in there, trying to get revenge on an event that happened 10 generations ago, his randomly (or so he'd like to believe) thrown together family was being tortured and fighting for their lives all because Shimon couldn't let go of the past.

The current Vongola generation didn't even know about what happened. What is Shimon gaining by getting revenge? A moment of fame as being the rulers of the mafia world? Did they not think that this would only cause more animosity? The cycle wouldn't end if revenge was in this picture…

"It's no different as I stand here as the last Shimon. I have the pride of all of those who have fallen, my family included!" There was hatred and so much anger in his voice then, that it came out similar to a roar.

It wasn't until he heard Enma shout at him that Tsuna once more brought hit full attention to him.

In truth, it was more of a struggle for him than what Enma dared to show. It had been so hard to remember what it felt like to be alone when he had such support around him. Now that such a thing was gone again, he remembered clearly. And he remembered why it was good to be able to forget. It felt so cold to stand here alone, and it almost felt as if it was harder to stand. With the weights of life on him - all these hopes, expectations, and dreams that were dependent upon him - it was hard to support it so completely on his own.

But he did.

He did for the sake of his family, his friends. They had done too much and come too far for him not to be strong enough to stand on his own two feet. He had carried himself this far. He would remain standing, even through the end of the fight. He had to. He had so much more to fight for. Did the brunette know what it was like to have your family be wiped out, dirtied, sullied, and demeaned? Did he know what it was like to fight to get that back?

No. Of course he didn't. He was part of the proud name of the Vongola. The family that had been treated nearly like royalty from its time of being acknowledged in the mafia. They had always had the means, the money, and the power in that world. It was no different today. They were the largest and most formidable. People quaked at the name Vongola, and laughed at the name Shimon. He would change that today.

"You act as if you have no desire to be here. You act as if you do not wish to fight! Well as we stand here now, you have no one to blame but yourself! You're the reason it came to this!" And he wished almost wished it wouldn't have. He had almost wished that he had been wrong. He'd tried! He had held onto the hope that the rest of his family had given up. He had tried to prove to them that the Vongola really must have changed. That there was hope in this new generation, and that they were different.

It seemed that he had been a hopeless fool. He had been so wrong! Tsuna had ignored his plea, as if it hadn't mattered to him at all. He had gone on with his life, as if erasing his letter from his mind. It was amazing how good of an actor that boy was. It was why he could never believe him now. It was why he had to shut off his heart and remind himself that he had been abandoned by the boy that had claimed to be his friend. A lie. It had all been a lie! And he wouldn't forget.

Tsuna winced, unconsciously stepping back from his position, his resolve faltering momentarily. Enma hit the nail on the head. How could he tell that Tsuna was hesitating? At the beginning of this ordeal, Tsuna was geared and ready to go. He even wanted Enma to fight him on day one. But after every fight, and ever revelation of the past, Tsuna found himself less and less wanting to fight.

Watching each reaction he earned as he spoke, Enma was glad he at least had Tsuna's attention. And he almost found himself more angry that he was so obviously right that Tsuna was hesitant. He even flinched as if he had found a way to merely hit him with his words! He stepped away, as if it would be the first move to run! It was disgraceful.

Tsuna was sure that Enma saw the truth in the past. He couldn't tell if Enma's anger and hatred just forced him to manipulate the memories into fueling his anger, but it was the final piece of the puzzle that they'd need. The last memory ended so suddenly, there was no way to make an accurate ending. Tsuna was sure Giotto was innocent… but Enma needed closure. He needed… to be proved wrong.

What bothered Tsuna the most was Enma saying that it was his fault… How…? HOW was this in any way his fault? What did he do? What… what… there was nothing that he could think of. They were getting so close… Was it because he decided to accept the offer to be the tenth and not run away like the talked about…? That couldn't have been it…

And the confusion as he accused him... Enma's hands had fisted even tighter. Was this a joke? How dare he seem confused about that! As if he couldn't know! Was this boy that much of a fool? Or was this just further skills for his acting that had fooled them all? Or maybe he was trying to make a fool or a joke out of him instead. He wouldn't stand for it. He wouldn't allow it.

This boy in himself was confusing. It was frustrating, angering, and yet, it was tiresome. Enma couldn't make sense of him. He seemed to be trying so hard to figure something out after Enma had blamed it all on him. Was he trying to come up with some fantastic excuse? Or did he really, somehow, just not understand? Who knew. But when he even looked to the guardians that stood some ways away from them, they had seemed baffled by his accusation, as well as angered. Yes, he knew they held Tsuna up as if he should be glorified by the world, or as if they thought he had hung the moon himself. They had to be deluded too. Or maybe they were the real fools here.

Tsuna shivered. There was a chill that had come to the air, which only brought him to believe that the Vindice had arrived, waiting in the shadows to hear the conditions of their fight and observe to ensure that the conditions were met. This was the beginning of the end. He swallowed. It was time…

"I have a deal for you." Enma said, unsure if a single word he said would matter. "Winner of this fight decides it all - meaning, if you win, I'll go down - but my family is restored and goes untouched. If I win, you go down, and your guardians will remain untouched - by both the Vindice and myself." He wondered if this would be agreed to. But, then again, if nothing else, he seemed to care about the welfare of his family - if he could trust what seemed to be in that case.

And if it really was true, then surely he would agree to anything that would ensure his family's well-being. He could not be shamed for trying, at least. And if he came to survive - no, when - then he would restore his family himself. Even if he had to take down the Vindice that seemed to be monsters, shadows, or the unknown itself, he would do it. After all, he couldn't very well make a fair seeming deal by making either condition end with him regaining his family either way.

It wasn't until he heard Enma's terms that Tsuna had to pause to think about what he had heard. No matter the outcome of this battle, his family would be safe? The only lives on the line would be his and Enma's? In a way… he actually really liked those odds… What he wasn't sure about, however, is if Vindice would accept it… Did he have to agree to it first? Vindice was deadly silent. No words were said. Even Enma had fallen quiet.

After a few moments of silence, Enma removed his hands from his pockets, fists at his side. Enma could feel the warmth and desire of the ring on his finger. It reflected the same that was in his own heart. Tsuna opened his mouth to speak. It wasn't until he noticed Enma move that he shut his mouth once more, just in time for Enma to add in an afterthought.

"My pride for this fight will not be broken. My pride is fighting to avenge those who have been taken down by, or in the name of, the Vongola so that the name of Shimon will be restored." There was nothing that rang truer in his heart. For that was the reason that he continued living through each day. It was the reason he continued to wake and face whatever tried to take him down.

The power in Enma's ring began flaring. Tsuna could feel it in the pit of his soul. Enma was ready. All that needed to be done now, was get the terms accepted. Tsuna prepared himself, putting on a face of determination. There was no time for second thoughts. It was time to do this. Stepping forward, his fists at his side, his mittens looking harmless over his hands, Tsuna looked Enma directly in the eye from his position across the field. "I accept your terms!" Tsuna announced, keeping his head held high. "For my family; they need me, and I need them. I will not lose this fight. I will not leave them. They are my world. Protecting them and being with them is my pride. I won't let you take me away from them!"

The exchange of pride... Enma had to admit, as Tsuna announced the origin of his pride, he wanted to respect it. That was the basis of the person that he had wanted to befriend and believe. That was the basis of the person he had held out hope for proving himself, and his family, wrong so that there was no reason for a fight.

His pride was not furthering himself. His pride was not gaining power, nor wealth. His pride had selflessness in it. His pride had simplicity. His pride seemed to be so genuine in and of itself.. His pride reminded him of his own. This was the person he had wanted to believe in..! So why did he let him down! Why did he have to ignore him and choose to supposedly leave him to... who knows what? Maybe to die? He had only chosen those who would further him? Enma supposed that friends weren't enough. Family would be what got him far.

There had to be some underlying agenda beneath all those respectable words. It was the only explanation, even though he still found himself lost and confused. No, he still felt angry and betrayed. He wanted to believe that he would be different. He had wanted the Vongola to be different now. And if they had been, they would never have gotten this far! They would have never ended up here! Tsuna's side wouldn't be injured and struggling. The boy who didn't seem to wish to fight, wouldn't be fighting! And he... he would still have his friends at his side now..

What was he doing? He couldn't be thinking about ifs! This Vongola heir had made his choice, and as he was the one betrayed, he had to follow through with an unwavering strength of heart. Things were steadily rising to where they would reach their peak and they could get to their resolution.

Tsuna couldn't have known what it was like to fight through each day. Yes, he had faced some opposition, but to have the whole world against you... To have no one on your side that had so few to remain. To watch your numbers dwindle down to nothing until you stood on your own... and feel that as it came to be the true, literal reality... That was what hell on earth was like! That was what this was! He was fighting for redemption. He was fighting for a chance to live.

They didn't understand.

It was then that Vindice decided to make their presence known. "The terms of the fight has been accepted. The loser will be determined when either party is down for 5 seconds. If Kozato, Enma should fail, the Vongola shall be free, and the Shimon guardians will be released. If Sawada, Tsunayoshi should fail, then he shall be taken with us and Kozato, Enma shall be spared." Tsuna made no response. He couldn't take his eyes off Enma. He couldn't understand why he made such terms… In either situation, Tsuna's family would be free, while Shimon could only be restored is if Enma lost… What exactly was he planning? Tsuna sighed, ridding himself of his thoughts. It was time to fight. He would prove to this boy that this generation wasn't the same as the first. They never wanted to "betray" Shimon in any way.

Pride had been stated. Terms were accepted by both parties. The Vindice had accepted it all as well, and confirmed the determination of the loser. Five seconds down decided it all. Fine. It was better that way. He wouldn't stay down that long. He didn't need to! He was strong enough to keep getting up again. Tsuna would have to kill him if he wanted him to stay down so he could win. That was the only way he would give up, is by death. Could he do it? Was he ready for that?

The chill in the air disappeared along with Vindice. Tsuna frowned, spreading his legs farther apart, digging them in the dirt, in order to get better balance. Wasting no time, Tsuna summoned his flames, entering his Hyper Will mode without any trouble. Feeling the power from his new Vongola rings, Tsuna narrowed his amber eyes. Standing there, Tsuna simply raised his fist up towards Enma, his new X-Burner gloves shinning in the sunlight. "Let's go."

Watching as he readied himself for the fight and summoned his hyper dying will mode, Enma felt no threat.

With a glow of his ring that reflected his determination, he closed his eyes and his own dying will flame sparked to life, his gauntlets donned, and the ancient runes surrounded him, ready to aid him in his bidding, reflecting his own growing power. As the boy beckoned him on, fist at the ready, he still simply stared at him with a cool, level gaze. "You had better fight with all you have, or I'll make sure you stay down for much longer than five seconds..." He warned, raising a hand and sending a strong initial shock wave forward.

Tsuna had no idea what he was up against. He had no idea of the power Enma held now. It would be foolish for him to think he even had a chance. His own guardians had not had the chance for their power to reach its full potential. And even if they had faced them at their full potential, his power was different. Even he had found himself equipped with a power that seemed to surpass anything in his imagination. Beyond anything he could have dreamed or expected. Even so.. that didn't mean he was clueless on how to use it. It didn't mean he wasn't ready. This boggling power was at his disposal.

The first move of the fight had been made. There was no turning back.

He was ready.

* * *

TBC

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Drama? :D

This was originally supposed to be two chapters, but I decided that it'd be lame to give you two more chapters of pre-fight filler so... I figured we'd just get right down to the drama. Remember, reviews makes me happy! Give me some feedback. Do you like how the story's progressing so far? I don't know if you noticed the rating change, but it was once rated M for potential adult material, but when I think about it, there really isn't any room for romance at the moment... Should it form later, then the rating will once again go back to M, but for now, it won't be. But stick around and please, check out my drabble collection, _Control_. There will be stories of all sorts in there! Yaoi, Het, Yuri, smut, crack, everything! :D

LOVE YA!


	3. Chapter 3

**©dwindlingflame**

UHM! Did you guys see the new chapter? TALK ABOUT INTENSE. **I warn you now, this chapter WILL contain scenes from the recent chapter!** I just _had_ to include some of it! And since I previously had the next 3 chapters prewritten, I have to make _serious _modifications to these chapters... Half of this chapter was just cut and pasted into the next chapter, which will probably be edited when new chapters are released. 8D So that... is why this chapter was released later than planned... plus it's finals week. : College SUCKS. But now I'm free! For a whole month, too. :D

**Disclaimer:** I reserve no rights to KHR or the events in this update that are from the recent chapter.

* * *

_Forfeit the Game_

* * *

This was it.

This was where all of his fears and insecurities had to disappear. There was nothing more that he had to think of. Enma was attacking. Tsuna had to defend.

He had long since noticed that Enma's abilities were geared around a force. He wasn't sure what his flames could do. He wasn't sure what hidden abilities lied within Enma that he had yet to see. He knew that there was more to Enma than this force which had completely overpowered him the first time he fell victim to it... But at that point, he was weaker, shocked, and blinded by sadness and rage... Now wasn't the case. Now he was focused, expectant, on edge; he wouldn't let the same thing happen to him all over again.

Forcing more flames into his hand, he held up his right hand, letting his flame connect with the shock-wave of force that came towards him. The power radiated through his arm, causing a slight, tingling sensation that he found himself ignoring rather easily. The flame on his hand erupted, flaring dangerously around his body as it fought off the force, splitting it so that it continued its path on either side of Tsuna's body, leaving a trail of dirt in its wake.

These were defining moments. So as Enma watched him strengthen his flames and use them as a defense against his blast, he stood at the ready, waiting and watching to see just how he would handle things. Those eyes changed so much when he switched to his dying will mode. When Enma had first seen it, it had almost been frightening, though he hadn't shown it in the least. He couldn't. It had been his first time at seeing how this boy worked and how he fought. He was fierce in battle, and capable. That much was certain. The fire within him was so… unbelievable. It had been quite a sight to see a boy that was so supposedly pathetic and clumsy and incapable in everything… suddenly take on an enemy, a monster, someone with so much skill, and school them.

He was so strong - in both will and strength.

And he had seemed so noble in those first moments. What had happened to that person then? It seemed so different now as he stood against him as his opponent.

Tsuna's weapons were completely different. Enma could see a dark, orange item in the shape of flames covering Tsuna's ears. The gloves on Tsuna's hands looked different as well. When he saw them before, he was sure that they weren't that deep red color and metallic looking. It reached farther than his wrist this time. It reached down to his forearm, looking that there were thick bracelets designed in the shape of an X around his wrist. On his thigh, there was a shackle of some sort with a flame design on it. Two chains from his belt, which had a this "X" buckle, connected to the shackle on his thigh. His ring was different as well. Enma remembered holding the ring designed for Nattsu, smiling at the warmth from the animal. Now the ring on Tsuna's finger looked longer, covering his middle finger. It connected to another small ring on his pinky finger by a chain. Enma couldn't see the design from where he was, but he knew it was fancy.

Tsuna knew that going at Enma head first probably wasn't a good idea for now. Pumping up his flame, Tsuna used the power to push off from the ground, flying towards Enma at full speed, reaching him in the blink of an eye. Just before getting too close, he curved around Enma's body, and began circling him, letting his flame form a barrier around the red head. He knew that Enma was perfectly capable of getting out of his X-Stream, but there was no harm in seeing just what he could do.

Enma did not move and again, waited to see what the boy would do. He was calm and unconcerned.

As the X-Stream surrounded him, he felt the warmth of the flames around him. These sky flames reflected his determination so easily. These flames seemed so pure... but he just didn't understand it. How could they be? Tsuna's cause wasn't just. It wasn't pure.

Tsuna's narrowed eyes followed Enma, who seemed to be very unresponsive to his attacks. He didn't blame him. Tsuna was staying elementary. He hadn't even activated the full potential of his Vongola gear. He kept the power of his new ring suppressed to the point it had been before the transformation. He was sure Enma had noticed the slight difference in power from his earlier display a few days prior when they first got on the island. Continuing to circle, he began to make his circle smaller, bringing the flames in on Enma's body.

With a soft exhale and letting his eyes fall shut, Enma raised his arms to either side of him, he focused for a few moments before his eyes flashed open again, his rings around his pupils moving in an elliptical motion. As they did, another strong shock-wave of force shot out around him to meet the flames that encircled him. And after a strong flash, both the force and Tsuna's flame shot outwards before thinning out.

When Tsuna noticed that the boy had raised his arms, he prepared himself for what he thought would come, Tsuna stopped circling him, bringing his arms up in an "X" fashion across his chest. Just as he did so, the flames from his previous attack shot out towards him, causing him no real pain, before dispersing.

Enma took this opportunity to shoot forward towards the boy, hoping to catch him while he could have been caught off balance by the blast, or his vision compromised by the flash. His hand shot out towards the neckline of Tsuna's shirt. Tsuna uncrossed his harms just in time to see Enma's hand fly out towards him. The arm slid right up to his neck, latching on to his collar. In a split second, Tsuna grabbed on to Enma's arm with both hands, letting his body crash painfully, bringing Enma with him.

Of course Tsuna responded well enough to his attack. So as Enma was brought down with him, he clenched his teeth as he felt the shock of the impact that electrified uncomfortably through his body, but it was something he could easily dismiss from his senses. He was left hovering over the other boy, eyes glaring hatefully into the ones that opposed him.

Wasting no time, Tsuna let go of Enma's arm with one hand, keeping Enma's wrist grasped in his other hand, and shoved his free hand out beside him and angled his palm to aim on one side of Enma's head. Powering up his flame, Tsuna fired off a powerful blast of flames into the other boy's face.

It was only for a moment when his arms were released and the hand came to left side of his head. Eyes widening a fraction, he could see and the faint glow rising and knew that he was in trouble. Letting go of the other boy's collar, Enma twisted his wrist, breaking free of Tsuna's grasp before he let himself fall backwards, lying flat against the ground to just scarcely avoid the attack.

The rough impact made his head throb as he hissed and shut his eyes tightly. He only allowed himself a second to regain himself and then kicked his leg towards the other boy's arm, knocking the path of the flame upwards. He then leaned back on his hands and jumped to his feet, standing in a readied position once more.

He found himself somewhat satisfied in actuality by that last attack. Tsuna had taken more of a vicious approach in that moment. He had finally seemed to take the fight a little more serious than those childish moves he'd been starting with before.

Enma glared down at Tsuna, who rolled backwards onto his feet, returning to a standing position. There was a silence between both boys as they watched each other. As he stared at him, he could hear the faint cry of his guardians cheering him on. Enma scoffed, pumping up his flame before he held out his hands, his eyes flaring. It wasn't fair... Why did Tsuna still have support? Why couldn't he feel the pain of losing them? Tsuna gasped when he felt the earth rumble. Looking around, he noticed that the trees near him and his family began to rumble.

In a second, a large tree began to rise from the ground before tipping over, falling in the direction of his guardians. Tsuna's eyes widened as he opened his mouth to scream for them to watch out. Tsuna had no time to speak, however, as a second tree began flying towards him, connecting painfully with his stomach. "Guh!" Tsuna winced as his body went flying. Regaining his composure, Tsuna flipped in mid air, landing on his feet. His head whipped back in the direction of his family, seeing them standing away from the fallen tree. Chrome was coughing, rubbing her eye frantically. Lambo was flailing around, yelling something about an evil tomato head. Gokudera was growling, screaming obscenities at Enma, who he knew was the cause of that little attack.

Tsuna glared at Enma, "Leave them out of this!"

Enma's flames flared, "SHUT UP!" Tsuna growled, his anger rising dangerously. Enma brought both arms out in front of him, taking the tree he used to attack Tsuna before. Tsuna looked up as the large tree was raised up vertically. His eyes widened a fraction when Enma brought his arms down in a slashing motion across his chest, the tree mirroring his actions. Tsuna pumped up the flames to his hands, pushing off from the ground just as the tree swept at the spot where he once was.

Enma brought his arms back across his chest horizontally, watching as the tree chased down Tsuna. The brunette glanced down, seeing the tree coming after him. Turning around in the air, Tsuna brought his arms out before him, bracing himself for the impact. As soon as the tree connected with him, Tsuna gritted his teeth, latching on to the bark of the tree. Tsuna clung to the tree, pumping up his flame, forcing it into the flammable bark. In seconds, the tree erupted into flames.

Tsuna pushed off from the tree as it began to turn into ash at a relatively quick rate. Landing on the ground, he turned back to see Enma speeding towards him, anger flaring in his eyes dangerously. Tsuna was taken aback by Enma's sudden wave of emotion. Crossing his arms over his chest as Enma's fist collided with his forearms. The force pushed Tsuna back a bit as he tensed his legs, trying to stop Enma. The redhead landed on his feet with his other fist drawn back. Enma threw a left hook towards Tsuna's head only to have his fist dodged when Tsuna jerked his head back.

Tsuna uncrossed his arms, pushing back his forearms in order to grab Enma's arm. Spinning so that his back was against Enma's chest, Tsuna brought Enma's arm over his chest and bent forward, using his hip to lift Enma off the ground and flip him over his shoulder. Enma coughed as his back connected painfully with the ground. Tsuna let go of one of his arms and raised his right fist, aiming his punch down at Enma's face, keeping his left hand wrapped around one of Enma's forearms.

Enma quickly rolled onto his stomach, just barely avoiding Tsuna's fist. The earth around him crumbled under Tsuna's power, causing dust and debris to hit Enma in the face. The boy ignored the slight burning of his eyes as he hopped up onto his feet, staying crouched. Twisting his arm, he grasped Tsuna's arm and pulled the boy towards him. Rolling onto his back, Enma drove the heel of his foot into Tsuna's stomach and flipped him over, enjoying the gasp of pain that escaped from the brunette's lips.

Pushing back, Enma rolled onto his feet, turning in time to see Tsuna land on his feet, grabbing his stomach.

And then, another stare-down occurred.

"That was a dirty move..." Tsuna snapped, breaking their momentary silence.

Enma's eyes widened a fraction. A dirty move...? Was he serious? Enma could feel the strings of his patience snapping. "A dirty move? You take my entire family from me, and you act like you have the right to say anything to _me _about dirty_?"_ Enma snarled at Tsuna as his flames burst to life, flaring out around him in anger. The ground rumbled, the earth beneath Enma's feet gave away as rocks began to rise from the ground.

Tsuna twitched. His patience was wearing thin. "What are you talking about? I didn't take anything from you! This whole situation started because of you wanting to exact revenge on things that happened ten generations ago! We had nothing to do with the past! I have every right to call it as I see it!" Tsuna ground his teeth together, ignoring Enma's spike in power. Tsuna released his stomach, dropping the elementary facade. Powering up his flames, the true power of the Vongola Gear began to reveal itself.

Enma looked at Tsuna in shock momentarily. _'He's gotten much stronger'_ Wasting no time, Enma brought his arm out, forcing out that same, gravitational power he had used during their first encounter. The ground around Tsuna began to flatten, dust forming around the area. Enma smirked as he waited for the smoke to clear. His smirk only fell as he saw Tsuna standing there, unharmed, a force field surrounding his body.

Enma let out a grunt of frustration as he pumped his flames to his fist, taking off into the air.

Tsuna looked up, shouting after the other as he went off after Enma, zooming up to the boy. Enma turned in the air just as Tsuna came to meet him. Crossing his arms in an X fashion over his face, Enma just barely blocked the elbow that near rammed into his neck.

Tsuna had no time to launch another attack as he noticed Enma's eyes flare once more. Glancing down, Tsuna just noticed a large rock flying in their direction. Pulling away from Enma, Tsuna back flipped, using the surface of the rock to push him out of the way of danger.

Zooming towards Enma, Tsuna slashed his arm across his front. Enma placed his hand on top of Tsuna's head, using his skull as leverage to push his body up over Tsuna's arm. Enma came down at him, his fist extended towards his face. Tsuna threw his head back, watching as the force of Enma's punch caused the boy's body to keep flying over him. The red head growled and rammed his head forward, his head crashing painfully into Tsuna's. Tsuna winced, his head ringing from the contact. Just as Enma readied another punch, Tsuna grabbed Enma's arm and brought his left leg up quickly, the balls of his foot digging deeply into Enma's stomach.

Enma winced, coughing in pain as Tsuna's foot dug into his diaphragm. Pushing away from Tsuna, Enma could only glare as he shoved his fist out quickly, the force from his flames encircling Tsuna's body. The body flinched momentarily, his eyes widening as the force crushed him from all sides. Letting out a cry, Tsuna's flames burst out from his palms, pushing his body forward, ramming into Enma, cutting off the power that was constricting him.

Punch after punch. Kick after kick. Neither boy could manage to gain an advantage over the other. It continued until both boys landed on the ground across from each other. Enma stood, his legs spread as he regained his balance, his clenched fists at his side. Tsuna stood, his knees bent, with both hands raised up to his face.

Enma scoffed. "This strength... only the conniving, controlling successor of the bloodless, tearless, cruel Vongola Primo would have it." Enma's face darkened with each word.

"Primo was not the kind of man you think he is. You should have seen those past memories!" Tsuna snapped, glaring at the red head, "Besides, I don't plan on succeeding the current Vongola."

Enma snorted just before a giggle escaped his throat. A sarcastic smile spread over his face, "You're still saying that?" Enma's smile fell, "That's the kind of cunning person you are... Sawada Tsunayoshi!"

Tsuna frowned, "Cunning...?"

"That crest on your glove..." Enma started, pointing at Tsuna who looked down at his fist. "That's the mark of Vongola, isn't it?" Tsuna's brows furrowed.

Enma continued, feeling no pity for the boy. "You're always like that... In the very center of the Vongola, more than anyone, the Vongola power is named after you... But when it comes own to it, you never step up and take responsibility..." Enma felt hatred boil in the pit of his stomach. "A boss who fronts the crest of the Vongola and gets outsiders involved and hurt... A bug would be better than you."

Tsuna looked up in shock, his heart clenching. "Y-you're wrong! I never meant to hurt outsiders! I wanted to use this power to protect my friends! That's what I've always done... That's what I'll keep doing!"

"Just like the Primo, you're a liar." Tsuna looked at him in shock. His voice was so heavy. His words were thick with hatred. Tsuna could almost feel the poison of Enma's words melting his flesh. "Do you seriously think you can escape from you blood-stained destiny? The curse of that blood... is conclusive..." Enma's shoulders shook.

"Wha... What are you saying, Enma?"

Enma looked down, "I'll tell you, Sawada Tsunayoshi... You are the descendent of Vongola Primo... the man who betrayed the first Shimon..." Enma's fist was shaking, his body quivered as all the emotions he kept bottled up exploded for the first time in years, "YOU ARE THE SON OF SAWADA IEMITSU, THE MAN WHO KILLED MY PARENTS AND MY SISTER!"

Tsuna stepped back in shock, his eyes widening as he stared at the crying red head.

"My family was killed by the Vongola's external advisors on Sawada Iemitsu's orders!"

Tsuna shook his head frantically, trying to rid his mind of his impending thoughts. "M-my father...? No...! That's a lie!"

"You just won't believe anything that's inconvenient for you, will you...?"

Tsuna gasped, "N-no that's...!" Tsuna trailed off, watching as Enma lowered his head, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Confusion flooded Tsuna's heart, his anger subsiding along with his will to fight. '_That can't be...' _he thought, staring at Enma blankly as his flames dispersed. The gloves on his hands became harmless, white mittens and his large brown eyes had lost their glow.

Enma's head snapped back up "I will never forgive you!" he screamed, pushing off towards Tsuna. With his left hand extended, Enma wrapped his slender fingers around Tsuna's neck, bringing his right arm back as a large ball of flame and kinetic energy surrounded his fist. "NOT UNTIL I'VE KILLED YOU!"

Tsuna didn't move. All he could do was stare into the tearful eyes of the boy he wished he could call his friend.

* * *

TBC

* * *

There ya go! I hope you don't mind me throwing in the update. And sorry about pushing back the due date so much! I had exams and projects and school stuff... But I do have good news... I passed all my exams so far! :D I don't know about my math final but... I passed everything else. Yay!

Oh~ I no longer have Microsoft word and I'm using open office and it doesn't correct grammar, just spelling... so there might be a lot of errors. I'll try to catch them... but I'm sorry in advanced!


	4. Chapter 4

**©dwindlingflame**

I'm such a lazy little girl~ 8) I like winter break. I get to play lots of games, eat junk food, and get fat. Hah!

Enjoy and review.

**Disclaimer:** I reserve no rights to KHR or the events in this update that are from any recent chapter.

* * *

_Forfeit the Game_

* * *

Tsuna's heart was pounding. His father? A murder? He couldn't believe it. He couldn't understand the pain that Enma must have been feeling as he stared in the eyes of the son of his parent's killer.

Tsuna's arms hung limply at his sides. He could no longer feel the ground. His air was being cut off by the tight grip that Enma had on his shirt. It didn't matter, however. He could feel nothing. He could see nothing else around him but the tears falling down flushed cheeks.

"Tsunayoshi... How could you?" Enma muttered, bringing his powered up arm back further. "GIVE ME BACK MAMI!" he screamed, driving his hand forward towards Tsuna's neck.

Tsuna's eyes widened as his heart clenched painfully in his chest. He couldn't move.

As Enma's hand drew near, Tsuna felt a warmth on his finger. He wasn't sure what it was, but he still couldn't find the will to care. His father was a murderer...

"DIE!" Enma yelled just as he was about to deliver the finishing blow.

Before he could, however, pain ran up his arm like lightening, causing him to cry out. The pain was immense. It was unbearable.

Enma's attack fell short as he stumbled back, gripping his arm in pain as hot, orange flames encircled his arm. "Wh-what?"

Tsuna fell to the ground, sinking to his knees, staring at Enma with shocked eyes. That was his flame... but how?

Enma screamed, waving his arm, frantically trying to extinguish the flames. It wasn't the flames, per say, that was hurting him. He couldn't feel the pain from the flame, but there was an electrifying power that ran through his arms and he knew that it had something to do with the flames on his arm.

As soon as the flames were extinguished, Enma held his arms, glaring at Tsuna, his breath coming out in pants. "What did you do...?"

Tsuna just stared, his head naturally shaking as he tried to deny being the cause of that attack.

Enma snarled, "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Tsuna opened his mouth to protest but it was cut off when he heard a small growl erupt from the ring around his finger. While in his heart, Tsuna couldn't find the will to fight, his flames began irrupting, the flames on his right hand. Tsuna stared at his hand, his eyes widening in shock. _Nattsu...?_

Tsuna could feel the upgraded Vongola ring pulsating around his finger. The growling was getting frantic. Tsuna could almost feel Nattsu's desperation as he tried to will Tsuna to fight. Tsuna's heart was beating wildly in his chest. All of this... Nattsu was struggling. The ring wasn't supposed to be able to react without Tsuna's flames... but he should know better than to underestimate Nattsu.

Tsuna stood, causing Enma to glare at him, his tears ceasing from the shock and pain. Tsuna looked at Enma blankly. He couldn't lose.

He knew that there was more to this. He knew that Enma lost his family and Tsuna could understand. "I know that I cannot say that I feel your pain." Tsuna started, his gaze remaining on Enma's shocked face. "But I have to protect my family." he said, his will to fight coming back in an instant. His flames sparked, his Vongola gear activated. "I have to win." As he said that, Tsuna's power flared, his flames licking out around him. Enma was pushed back slightly, the power upsetting his balance.

Enma growled, letting go of his arm.

"That's right. You have to fight me seriously to win. No room to make any more mistakes..." Enma smirked devilishly. He wanted to beat Tsuna at his best. He wanted to prove something.

Tsuna remained impassive as he heard Enma speak. Mistake? What mistake? "Mistake...?" Tsuna started, quietly, the word fueling the anger that had started to bubble inside of him. "Tell me... what _mistake_ did I make?"

Before he could control it, Tsuna's anger erupted, causing his flames to explode dangerously behind him once again. "Please tell me how protecting my family..." Pushing off the ground once more, Tsuna shot towards Enma, going faster than he ever had before. He was in front of Enma in a split second grabbing on to his shoulders, driving the boy into the ground. Being too angry to control it, Tsuna went down with him, letting out a small "omf" from the contact. Pushing himself on his knees so that he was straddling Enma, Tsuna dug his nails into Enma's shoulder, pushing him harder into the ground. "HOW IS PROTECTING THEM A MISTAKE?"

...Well now.

The young Shimon boss certainly hadn't expected this. He had not expected the anger that exploded from the boy that usually seemed so calm, even in battle. He had never seen that much anger of him. He didn't expect such a reaction after how dead he was a second ago. It had distracted and shocked him into place, only shaking his head in the slightest to regain himself with no time to dodge the bullet that was Tsuna which was approaching him at an incredible speed now.

So, with force that could have very well had the strength to send a normal person reeling into unconsciousness, he felt his head swim from the impact of the ground. A throbbing sensation exploded through his head. His eyes were fogged over for a moment as he tried to recover his senses before he gasped, unlike the painful grunt he had let out before when being slammed into the ground, feeling the nails and fingers pressing uncomfortably into his shoulders, trying so hard to push him further into the unforgiving ground beneath.

The yell split into his ears so much louder than the previous ones had and he was hissing through clenched teeth.

Tsuna's anger blinded him. He failed to notice the distinct hiss that exited Enma's lips as the red heads own anger began to bubble.

In an instant, Enma had regained enough enough sense, and did not yet fight to get away. Besides, he had no chance of any movement with his arms. He had to be kidding. Really..? REALLY? That was his question, here and now? What had been his mistake?

Enma couldn't it. Enma exploded.

"YOUR MISTAKE IS THAT THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES YOU GIVE A DAMN ABOUT PROTECTING."

He snarled in return, eyes flashing in equal anger... betrayal... hurt.

It wasn't until Enma screamed in his face that Tsuna was snapped out of his rage. It wasn't the fact that he was being yelled at that caused his rage to disperse. It was what he heard. What was Enma talking about? Why was there so much hurt, so much betrayal in his eyes. What did Tsuna do that was so horrible? Where was Enma getting this?

Throughout that week they had spent together, hadn't Tsuna tried to protect him from bullies (even if Reborn was the one who forced him into it)? There was nothing else that he had to protect Enma from...

"They're the only ones worth risking and sacrificing anything for.. right?" Enma whisptered.

But suddenly, an unconscious counter was screaming at him.

Three...

Four...

In an instant, he sent a force from his palms, helping him to have the force to flip their position, and now his own hands were on his upper arm, clamping down tightly. He couldn't be down for five seconds. He had just barely missed the call, he knew. It was hard to remember that in moments like these. Moments where emotions got the better of him.

"Maybe friends just don't have as much worth as your _family_." He snarled out the word as if it was poison. "Maybe they just get in the way. Maybe that's why it's easier to just turn your back!" Without him noticing, his grip had begun to shake.

Tsuna's lack of attention made it easy for Enma to turn the tables. Feeling that blunt force against his chest, Tsuna gasped as the air was knocked out of him when he felt his back connect with the ground, causing him to remember the terms of the battle. Before he could attempt to get up again, he could feel Enma's hands digging into his arm. As the read head spoke, Tsuna could feel his arms shaking, making Tsuna's heart clench. What did he do that could make Enma's resolve falter so quickly?

Look at what this boy was doing to him! He was shaking. He was being weak! No, he couldn't do that with what was at stake. Enma couldn't care about the past and the events that brought them here. His only thoughts and only motivators should have been his family and it's pride that he had to restore. His eyes were narrowed darkly in his anger and betrayal. Why did Tsuna seem to be so shocked by his words? He didn't understand at all!

"Just... wasn't as useful as you thought, RIGHT?" Enma didn't know. He couldn't understand the thoughts like that. He just knew that this had been the person he trusted. The person he had put his hopes on... and this was the person whom had let him down. This was the person whose father murdered his family...

Reaching up to Enma's collar with one hand, Tsuna grabbed the boy's shirt and pushed against the ground. Using all of his strength, Tsuna pushed himself off the ground with a flame enhanced push, bringing Enma into an upright position with him. Tsuna needed to be off of the ground before his 5 seconds were up, and he needed to know what Enma was talking about. He had to figure out why he was so mad, and he didn't need the time constraints bothering him. Standing with Enma's collar still in his grasp, Tsuna let his flames die down.

The grip on his collar came quick, and it wasn't a concern. He had been ready to retaliate but then Tsuna was simply raising them to stand once more, without trying to get Enma back on the ground for his five seconds to expire. It was baffling. Was he trying to lure him into a sense of false security?

Tsuna's grip on Enma's collar weakened but he never let go. "What are you talking about...?" Tsuna whispered, staring at Enma with curious, pained eyes. "I would have protected you with my life."

And the whispered words, they pulled at his heart. It sounded and seemed like those words were so true.. He seemed genuine..! Enma shook his head.

No, no, NO. He couldn't fall for this! Not now!

Letting his heart freeze inside his chest once more, he stared at him with a level gaze. "Those words... That lie.. It won't help you now."

Tsuna hated that cold look that had replaced all the emotions in Enma's face. He felt like Enma's emotions showed that he was still human. He was still hurting. There was a part of him that wanted to believe in Tsuna. There was a part of him that didn't want to do this... Tsuna could feel it. He just wanted to know what it was that he was lying about... He meant what he said completely. Tsuna knew that if Enma was in danger, he would have tried his hardest to protect the other boy. He felt such a strong connection to him; a connection made in only a few short days. He knew it wasn't completely severed. He could tell from all the raw emotions Enma just revealed. There was more to it...

His fist shot out towards the other boy's jaw as his first retaliation, followed by his other fist being sent towards his stomach, and a blast to back it up. "If it had been true, then you would have been there! You wouldn't have left me to die!" But that was the last of what he would say on the subject. He couldn't linger. He had to focus on what mattered. This was what was happening here, and now. This was what had a price at the end for he who lost. One mistake could end it. Five seconds was such a short time, and that was all it took.

Tsuna's thoughts were cut off when a fist came directly towards his face. Jerking his face back, he hissed as the fist grazed his cheek, stinging a bit. However, that was nothing compared to the hot white pain that seared through his body when Enma's powered fist rammed into his stomach. Feeling blood in his throat, Tsuna coughed, his eyes widening as his body was sent flying back from the force.

Regaining his grip on the battle, Tsuna once again summoned his flame to slow down his body. It wasn't long before the flames stopped his free fly, allowing him to drop back on his feet, grabbing his stomach. Breathing heavily, Tsuna stared at Enma. Where? Where would he have been? Tsuna frowned. He could tell that Enma wasn't going to speak anymore... Talking was over. It was time to fight.

It was time for round 2.

* * *

Tsuna couldn't begin to fathom how long him and Enma had been going at it. All he remembered is that, after every blow, both he and Enma would become more and more fatigued. Their clothes were tattered; cuts, bruises, and blood adorned their skin. Tsuna's breath came out in heavy pants. He refused to quit here. He'd make Enma explain himself soon enough. He wouldn't let this battle end without having every question answered...

As much as he hated it, Enma was losing strength fast.

Tsuna had gotten stronger than he had thought he would. He was such a skilled fighter, even if fighting was supposedly something he wanted nothing to do with. His body was starting to want to give out on him, though his mind, his will, would not allow it. He could taste the blood that returned to his tongue every now and again. He had taken plenty of hits which had brought the crimson liquid to his lips. His clothes were stained with just the same in certain spots from the various injuries he had sustained.

He was worse for wear, but.. he wasn't the only one. As he had begun to get worn down, he had been able to do just the same to the brunette opposite him. The battlefield around them had gained quite a few scars as well, and it no longer looked to be the peaceful hideaway that it had seemed to be upon their earlier arrival. Now it was scarred and beaten, just like them.

As Tsuna had begun to charge at him again, he raised his arms, directing the runes around him, watching as they cut into the ground, ripping up different rocks from boulders to others that were similar to shrapnel. Shooting his arms out in front of him, the various rocks flew forward towards his opponent as a wide ranged attack, the same strong force behind it as he had been using before.

His breath was ragged, shoulders quaking from controlling the force of the attack as he watched it so closely. And as his attack served as an offensive distraction, he shot his armored hand towards the ground, slamming into the rough rock that was beneath his palm and creating a large crevasse that shot towards the Vongola boy as well. He had to end this..

Forcing himself forward, Tsuna watched the flying rocks carefully. There was so many rocks of many sizes. He wasn't sure if it was a distractions or not, but Tsuna had to play it safe. Trying to watch every angle, expecting to see Enma show up somewhere, Tsuna just barely felt the tremors of the ground before it starting splitting dangerously. The crevasse came towards him quickly, fully intent on engulfing him in mid strike. Since he was moving too quickly to stop, Tsuna found himself losing his balance, falling down into the large crevasse Enma had created. Knowing that he wouldn't go down alone, in mid fall, Tsuna brought one palm forward towards Enma, letting the other stretch out behind him.

Knowing what to do next, his eye soon activated, the bars that blocked his vision momentarily began to fill as he charged up his flames. His new X-Burner gloves and contacts were more than efficient. The power built up so fast and accurately that Tsuna didn't have to wait.

Wasting no time, Tsuna fired off a powerful X-burner in Enma's direction, not really intend on hitting the boy. His flames were directed at the ground beneath Enma, melting away the ground beneath Enma's feet. The sheer power of the X-burner being fired within a relatively small crevasse caused a massive explosion from within, which Tsuna barely managed to avoid taking the brunt force of.

Tsuna's body flew backwards, a gasp escaping his lips as the force of his blast knocked the wind out of him.

If he was going to suffer, he was going to bring Enma down with him.

* * *

TBC

* * *

Okay guys! There you go. :] I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be out in a week and a half! The epic conclusion to the battle!

Lemme know what you think.


	5. Chapter 5

**©dwindlingflame**

Here you are, guys! The conclusion to the battle~

Anyway, as a heads up, after the next chapter (chapter 6), updates might be slower. College is restarting, writing has to be pushed on the back burner. I hope to get more readers soon!

**Disclaimer**: I reserve no rights to KHR or the events in this update that are from any recent chapter.

* * *

_Forfeit the Game_

* * *

It had been the beginning of relief for him to see things working so well. His attack was doing just as he had hoped. He could end this, finally!

But then... he had been faced with something he had not expected. As the x-burner was fired at him, Enma had no chance to escape. It happened so quickly, and he was just too weak. So as the ground below him was blown away, he found himself falling.

The explosion within the chasm echoed with strength throughout it, slamming him back against the rocky walls that now surrounded them until the explosion died away. Without further pressure and force, the boy fell to the ground, slamming into the rock at the bottom of the chasm with a strangled gasp of pain as the air was whisked from his lungs. His whole body was screaming, aching...

He could feel the warmth of something trickling down his forehead, and then down his cheek. His head was throbbing once more, and so was his shoulder. It hurt to move.. but he had to. Pushing one arm up beneath him, he shakily raised himself to his hand and knees, coughing roughly - which was not helping his head in the least. He finally raised himself to his feet, shakily, and wavered in his stance as he finally managed to stand. _'I can't lose. I can't.. I have to keep going...!'_

Cutting his X-burner, Tsuna landed on uneven ground harshly, his legs giving out beneath him. Falling to the side, Tsuna landed roughly on a pile of uneven rocks that dug into his ribs painfully. Hissing in pain, the young Vongola rolled on to his stomach, pushing himself to his knees. Raising one arm to his lip, Tsuna rubbed away the traces of blood. Standing, Tsuna rested one of his hands against a large boulder.

He looked at Enma, breathing heavily. '_This isn't right...' _he thought. He hated seeing Enma this way. The boy was on his last leg. He was fighting to remain upright. He could tell that he was going to win this battle. He had way more energy remaining, There was no way Enma could over power him in that condition...

"Enma... Please tell me... What did I do? How did I abandon you? Was it because I accepted to become the tenth boss?" Tsuna was desperate. They had been fighting for God knows how long. By the shifting in the position of the sun, he could honestly say it's probably been a few hours. Enma's earlier break down only fueled his curiosity and confusion. He had to figure out the truth. He had to know what he did. He had to know if what Enma said about his father was true or if it was a misunderstanding. There was so much he needed to find out.

Pushing off from the boulder, Tsuna stumbled forward, cutting his flame to show that he didn't intend on attacking. He wanted to talk to Enma as equals. Two boys forced into a war that wasn't theirs to fight.

Seeing Tsuna stand once more, Enma felt a strong frustration that brought pain to his chest and a sickness to his stomach. Tsuna was faring better than he, himself. It wasn't good. It wasn't encouraging. It wasn't what he wanted.

So as his opponent began to plead with him once more, the frustration grew, though for a different reason this time. He was still playing innocent? Even after they had come this far? Why didn't he just give it up? There was no point in continuing such a lie anymore! It wouldn't get him anywhere!

Fine. He'd humor him. He'd play the game.

"The letter!" He finally replied shakily, though his voice still held conviction. "The letter I left on your nightstand that night, before I left. I was asking for your help! I flat out told you I was in trouble!" He ground his teeth together once more and looked down for a moment. "It was just a test.. a test to see if you were really who you seemed to be." His hands clenched into a fist as he looked back to the boy that was approaching once more, flames dismissed while his own just barely hung on. "And you failed!"

Letter...? Tsuna blinked, staring at Enma blankly. What letter...?

Stopping about 3 yards away from Enma, Tsuna stared at him for a second longer, letting his words sink in. "Enma... I never got a letter..." He whispered, keeping his wide, confused eyes looking at Enma.

Why would Tsuna ignore a letter if he had gotten something like that. He would have been out searching for him in an instant. Tsuna wanted Enma to believe him. He wanted Enma to see the sincerity in his words. "Enma... If I had gotten a letter, I wouldn't have left you. I would have come to find you right away. Was it that day you didn't come to school? I was looking for you that day... " Tsuna trailed off, his eyes dropping slightly, his vision becoming focused on the ground.

He was surprised, honestly... If it really was that day that Enma was talking about, then it hurt Tsuna to know how one simple misunderstanding could lead to the destruction that they found themselves. No one would have to have been taken to Vindice if he had seen this letter... He still couldn't figure out where the letter was it where it could have gone. He knew his house was hectic, but could that really have been the cause? Was the letter lost in the drama at some point during the night?

He wasn't sure... but that wasn't the problem at hand. He felt guilty. If he had been more observant, he would have seen the letter. He would have past his "test". Yamamoto wouldn't have been attacked, he wouldn't have had to fight through his injuries, everyone would be alive and well, and there would have been a friendship between Shimon and Vongola that Giotto and Cozart wanted...

It was all his fault.

A thick silence fell over the two as Enma stared back at Tsuna.

Again... the genuine reaction that seemed to come from him was practically stunning. Tsuna seemed so true. He seemed to be confused and so shocked... and he seemed to be trying so hard to prove his innocence. Not in the sense that he was unbelievable with how hard he was trying.. and that was the scary part. With eyes like that.., Enma didn't know what to believe.

But if it was true, if he really hadn't seen the letter, if it had been lost somehow, and it had all been an innocent mistake... then he had started all of this in vain. Everyone had been hurt, in vain. Nothing he could do now could repent for that. His family was suffering for no good reason at all. And even the Vongola; they had suffered for no reason as well.

His body began to tremble, in strain and from the raw emotion that now wracked his body. "No. You've got to be lying.." He shook his head. "You're lying..!" If it was true, if Tsuna had really told the truth, then his gut feeling for the first time had been right. Tsuna wasn't like the others that had ruled in the Vongola. He was the one that was going to change them, just like he had hoped. He was different, like he had hoped.

But... if Tsuna really was telling him the truth and being genuine.. then this was all on him. He was the one at fault because he had made the first move. He had made all of the decisions. He had been the driving force. He saw the guilt written all over the other boy's face.

This... this wasn't a lie... He'd made a mistake.

A big mistake.

"...No.."

Tsuna's eyes widened when he heard the broken tone that came from Enma's lips. So it was a big misunderstanding, was it...? Tsuna could only imagine the pain that Enma was experiencing... knowing that he got his entire family locked away in Vendicare and almost brought the Vongola to their death over this...

And as the realization came, and the conviction left him, Enma had begun to feel the strength leave him. It had been his driving will to set things right that had kept him standing. Now... there was no chance of that. He couldn't make it right. And there was no more reason to fight. Besides... if he went down at least he could fix some of it... right? He could restore his family.. and the Vongola could heal and return home.

Enma's knees had given way, his body beginning to fall. He just didn't have the strength anymore. His guilt had smothered his will, his flames having died out just the same.

Tsuna didn't like that completely dead look that was in Enma's eyes. It was frightening him.

When Enma's flame completely vanished, Tsuna almost instantly knew what Enma was planning and he wasn't going to let it happen. He could see the end near. He couldn't let Enma end it this way... He didn't want it to end this way. He didn't want Enma to be taken away.

Enma's pride... it was crushed and Vendice knew it. Tsuna could feel the chill in the air as they signaled their soon coming presence, lurking, waiting for a simple 5 count from Enma so they could take him... and Tsuna knew that Enma was going to allow it.

Dashing towards Enma the moment he could see the boy dropping, Tsuna reached his arms out towards Enma. Letting the other boy collapse in his arms, Tsuna helped keep him on his feet, struggling to hold them both up. He wanted nothing more than to stop fighting his body's wishes to rest.

"I won't let you go down like this..."

Waiting for the feeling of the ground meeting his tired and worn body, it was a shock, though a pleasant one, when Enma was met with warmth instead. Being caught in the other's arms, he simply let his head rest against the other boy's shoulder, body limp, as he had no strength to try to stand on his own.

He could practically feel the strain of the other boy's muscles to keep them both standing. "Stop." He murmured tiredly, weakly. He tried to raise his arms in a weak attempt to push the other boy away, but there was not even an ounce of force or strength behind those attempts. There was nothing left in him. It was probably a miracle that he had moved his arms to begin with, and had kept his eyes open.

"Let me fall. You said it before yourself.. Your family needs you. You need to protect them.." His voice was as broken as his will. This guilt was agonizing to bear. "And.. my family can have their lives back and they won't have to suffer anymore." This was the only way. It was the best way. This was... the one thing he was sure of.

"Just let me fall, Tsuna-kun."

Tsuna couldn't bear seeing Enma like this. He had come so far. He wouldn't let things end like this. Disregarding Enma's feeble attempts at pushing him away, Tsuna looked up to his family who had come closer to the chasm to see them, his legs shaking under the pressure.

Looking in to each one of their confused faces, Tsuna's mind was instantly made. "I'm not going to let you take the fall alone..." Tsuna said, smiling softly. He wasn't sure if his family could hear him of not, but it really didn't matter. Nothing they said or did could change his mind at this point. "My family... They're safe now. They have each other... I've been there for them since the start..." Tsuna winced. His legs were quivering.

Looking down at Enma, Tsuna smiled. "Now it's time for me to protect an ally. This time, I won't let you deal with this alone."

The next words that left the other boy's lips made Enma's heart sink.

No.

He couldn't do this! He couldn't really be this foolish, could he? They had set the stakes, and he knew what they were fighting for. They were fighting for the ability, the freedom, to be able to leave here after it was all said and done. Yet he was saying he wouldn't let him fall alone? What was the good in that? Falling with him would do nothing good! He didn't want Tsuna to suffer too. There was no reason for him to!

Not... Not anymore. Tsuna.. hadn't betrayed him. Tsuna had been the person that he had hoped for the whole time. He had underestimated the boy and misunderstood. All during this fight, that anger and rage and betrayal that had burned inside him had turned out to be for naught. He was fighting someone who truly was his friend and had kept to his word.

This boy was like him. No, that was an insult now, wasn't it? This boy was better than him. His heart was purer, stronger.

He was meant for protecting others and helping them. He was meant for happiness and to smile himself. He wasn't meant for these ugly things that were within the mafia world. He wasn't meant for the blood and the vendettas and the fighting. Tsuna wasn't meant to have to fight for his life like this and face those, like Enma, who were filled with such anger.

He was the one bit of purity within this dark world, wasn't he? He was meant to be the tenth Vongola boss because he was going to be the change within that family. Even if it seemed like a crime and disgusting thing in and of itself to expose this boy to such a world and thrust him into it.. There needed to be a change.. and Tsuna... Tsuna could do so much good.

"No. They need you.. Can't you see it..? They're as desperate to protect you as you were to protect them..." Enma pleaded.

Tsuna gave Enma a weak grin. He couldn't hold them up any longer he realized, as his legs gave out, causing him and Enma to hit the ground.

Tsuna let out a grunt as a shock-wave of pain ran up his spine. Tsuna lied there, on his back, staring up at the sky, feeling the rocky earth beneath his back.

Enma felt the collision of the ground against their bodies once more, and he laid near the other boy from where they fell, too tired to move anymore. He just looked at him as he watched the sky, wishing he could convince him and make him change his mind. There was no sense in him being taken away too! Why was he doing this? He understood what he wanted to do, but he didn't want him to do it. It meant enough for him to want to help. It would mean enough if he stayed and watched over not only his own family, but the Shimon as well.

If he was there, then Enma really wouldn't have a worry at all. He didn't want his friends to go through anything more, and he was sure that Tsuna wanted just the same for his own family. Just because the Shimon and Vongola were no longer at odds didn't mean that there were no more trials to face. There would be more people who came after them at any time. Hell, there could even be the worry that if - no... once the news spread that the boy that had supposed to be the next generation of Vongola had been taken away to be held in the Vendicare prison, surely there would be families that would see this as a moment to make a move.

1...

Enma's internal clock went off and soon he was pleading once again, speaking faster than he ever thought he could. "What about your mom? What about your other friends? Tsuna-kun you have a life to get back to!" That's right. He had so much more than the mafia. The mafia involvement was not what defined this boy at all. He was different.

2...

Tsuna could hear Enma's pleas but what struck a chord in his heart was the voices of his family. Tsuna tilted his head up in their direction, seeing their heads peaking down over the chasm. Time seemed to slow down. Everything began to blend into those last seconds. Gokudera's voice was the loudest. He could hear his pleads for him to stand. Next to him, he could see tears pouring from Chrome's free eye as she clutched her staff. Ryohei and Yamamoto were screaming at him, fear written all over their faces. Even Hibari had a frown, larger than usual, along with a slightly shocked expression etched onto his usually stoic face. Lambo was confused, and sat there, staring. Even Reborn's eyes seemed wider than usual. Tsuna smiled. He loved his family.

If his own pleas didn't work, Enma was silently praying inside that the screams that were soon unable to be ignored from his family would get to him. They were begging and pleading. They were desperate, terrified. Who wouldn't be? Watching such a close friend give up to be taken down with a boy who had been the reason for all their suffering. A boy who had been an enemy not five minutes ago. He was going to be taken away to a place of pain and torture.

3...

"Get up! Stand up! I know you can!" He insisted, hearing the same internal counter once more that was screaming at him in desperation, though for such a different reason this time than before. He was fighting against the clock not for his sake, but Tsuna's. He couldn't let him do this. He would never be able to forgive himself.

4...

"Tsuna!"

5.

It was over.

His heart was racing, his stomach sick as he realized he hadn't been able to keep the other boy from making such a harsh choice. It was all over now, and the chill in the air grew stronger as the shadows congregated around them, gathering in strength until chains shot from the depths, a set circling each of them and then wrapping tightly around their limbs. The Vindice appeared from the darkness just the same.

"Vongola... Shimon... The leaders of both have fallen for a duration exceeding five seconds. Since they have both lost this battle, they will both be imprisoned. In accordance with the agreed terms, the Vongola's family will remain untouched, but also in turn, the Shimon's family will be restored and also remain untouched."

Wincing at the chains that were so roughly entangling around his body, he could feel them digging into his wounds. He had no chance of fighting them, he had no strength to do so. It would have been a joke to try. Besides. This was the Vindice. They didn't have a chance of escaping. No matter how much he wanted Tsuna to have that chance, there was not one that remained for them in sight. He listened as the screams of Tsuna's family became more desperate.

He felt their pain. This wasn't right. He still felt the guilt of having not been able to do more, and this could be so easily seen in his eyes. But with guilt, there was some fear as well. It was not for himself, but for Tsuna. He feared what he had just gotten himself into, and feared for him in the pain both of them were about to experience. The torture. There would be no end. This was forever. A life sentence. But Tsuna had done absolutely nothing wrong to deserve such a thing. A heart like that was not capable. This wasn't right. There had to be a way to fix this. How could this be?

"Vindice! Let the Vongola go! He was the winner of this fight. I'm the one who gave up! I'm the only one who should be taken away!"

"Impossible. Both Kozato Enma and Sawada Tsunayoshi met the losing criterion that was agreed upon at the start of the fight. Both will be imprisoned."

And as he opened his mouth again to begin his next attempt to dissuade them, the chains tightened and jerked back, causing his words to die in his throat. Shit!

It had been once the point that they boys had started to be pulled away that the Vindice began to speak once more.

"Thus, with the end of the battle, we will now bequeath to you the final key that was entrusted to us by Giotto and Cozart."

* * *

_TBC_

_

* * *

_

_Yup? O:_

_Next chapter presents the final key! Review!_


	6. Chapter 6

**©dwindlingflame**

Hey guys. ): I'm all late and behind and stuff... College is a biotch. XD

Anyway, as I said last chapter (ages ago), updates will be slower now. Both my writing partner and I are increasingly busy with school. She has to work a full time job along with classes while I have a part-time job to balance with classes with interviews after interviews and I may potentially be working two jobs over the summer. So don't think of this story as dead, just yet! :] I'm still INSANELY sorry for the longest wait possible... I was pushing this back a bit to see if me and my partner could get farther in our plans first. Regardless, I'm updating this chapter now. The next will be a while.

**Disclaimer**: I reserve no rights to KHR

* * *

_Forfeit the Game_

* * *

Tsuna's heart was pounding in his chest. Despite knowing fully well that this is what he wanted, he couldn't help but feel an acute sense of fear. So many voices were swimming in his head. Besides him, Enma was screaming, pleading with him. His guardians all seemed to be frozen.

The air was tense, cold, as Vindice moved closer. As he continued to smile at the sky, he let his face defy the conflicting emotions in his heart as darkness exploded around him. His breath hitched as he could feel the crushing weight of chains wrapping around his torso. He could hear the screams of his family getting more frantic. He wondered if he was doing them any justice... They were hurting so badly, he could tell.

He remembered what it felt like to watch each member of Shimon get dragged away. He wasn't even that close to them initially and he already didn't want to see the pained look on their faces as they realized that it was over.

He remembered Shitt-P's face specifically. She was so shocked to see that she had lost. He promised her that when it was over he'd get her back, along with the rest of Shimon.

He never expected that he'd be in this position; giving up his freedom for them. While he couldn't keep his promise to her in the way that he wanted to, he knew that now she'd still be restored to the real world along with everyone else who was taken...

And that alone made Tsuna content.

Vindice spoke, their voices sounding ghostly as the chains tugged more on him. Tsuna winced, opting to not struggle.

There was no point. It was over...

He only wished that Enma could accept it.

Glancing over to the red head, Tsuna craned his neck to see through the darkness, watching as Enma frantically tried to reason with Vindice. Tsuna knew it was impossible and Vindice only confirmed his suspicions. They denied Enma's request without hesitation.

Tsuna wanted to speak. He felt so weak... but it was impossible. His emotions made it impossible for him to find his voice. There was a lump in his throat that couldn't move. It made it hard to breath, to think, to function.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a flash of movement. Another ball of darkness appeared in the area near them. Chains came out of the ground, snaking their way out of the darkness.

Tsuna's eyes narrowed as he tried to make out what it was. It wasn't coming towards him and Enma, so why was it there...? His question was answered when he could see pale skin attached to the end of each chain.

To his amazement, he could faintly make out the sight of very wet, and slightly out of it Shimon guardians. He could see that the flame inhibiting shackles were still around their wrist as one by one, they were dragged against the dirt ground, leaving a wet trail behind them.

The shock of their bodies brought on a prolonged silence, which was soon broken by the booming voice of their captors.

"Thus, with the end of the battle, we will now bequeath to you the final key that was entrusted to us by Giotto and Cozart."

Two papers appeared. Each seemed to have a very different message, though both were addressed to Cozart from Giotto. With a small glimmer of light, the final part of the story began to unfold.

Tsuna gasped as the two letters appeared and the memory flooded his mind at full force.

* * *

_A man stood before a familiar blonde within a room of several people. Giotto stood with G at his side, and a man who __should have been a trustworthy member of __their vigilante group stood before Giotto, seemingly ready for a task. "Please make sure this gets to Cozart safely." He smiled warmly, a smile so unique that always seemed to pull people in. "It's very important and he's waiting for it." _

_It was a letter that gave stronger and further details on the plan that would bring the Shimon and Vongola closer to act more as one, and protect each other. It was a solidifying move for their stature in the eyes of the others who watched, waited, and judged. _

_There were plenty of people who disapproved of their groups, but it wasn't as if they tried to stir up trouble. That was something they tried to prevent and avoid with their presence. But for many, that was the problem in and of itself. There were many that wanted them out of the picture because their goals were the problems._

_The man, Daemon Spade, had nodded and took off, meeting the eyes of one or two others, seeming to exchange some unspoken message of confirmation, before he was gone to do what had been asked of him..._

_It was on the streets that he discarded the message carefully and withdrew another to replace it. The handwriting had come to match Giotto's perfectly. It was the message that was quite different from the one that had been previously discarded. But of course, no one could or would know the reason for this..._

_Not until it was too late._

_The false message was delivered, much to Cozart's delight at receiving it. And then the Shimon family went on to fulfill the plans created by "Giotto"_

_The ambush was set perfectly, despite the minor setback of having the Vongola figuring out Daemon's plans. All of their power couldn't protect Shimon from their fate. They all fought, Shimon and Vongola, side by side, but in the end, it was Shimon who fell and the Vongola who took the blame._

_And as the bodies laid dead on the sight of the sudden battlefield, only one or two Shimon members remained who attempted to make their way to find the man who was "responsible"; Giotto. They planned to find him, and make sure that he knew that they had known it was him._

_They knew that sending his guardians was just an act… That's why they all survived. They weren't really trying to protect Shimon. They were just trying to speed up the process._

_Vongola… Giotto… They Shimon survivors knew of his betrayal. They knew he was the reason Cozart was dead. They planned to make him pay just the same. He had taken Cozart, so they would take him just the same…_

_And it was all the plan of the main man: Daemon Spade_

* * *

Even as the darkness began to consume him as he was taken away, Enma felt sick as he saw the final memory. There had never been a betrayal from the Vongola against their family of Shimon. It had been a setup... and he had played into it all, so many years later…

Throughout the memory, Tsuna could do nothing but watch the scene unfold before him; the real story behind the betrayal. With each second that ticked by, Tsuna felt more and more pain erupt in his heart. The Shimon wasn't the only one betrayed that night. The Vongola, as well, had suffered at the hands of one of their own. Giotto had already suspected that there was corruption going on among the Vongola... and he was right. He was dead on with his fears...

That night his own family defied him and ended up getting his best friend and his family killed in the process. Tsuna felt that this revelation was bitter sweet... He was glad to know that he was right about the Primo. Giotto was a good man and would never betray his friends in such a manner... but he also didn't want to admit that the Vongola could be so corrupt that they would lead an entire family to be murdered so brutally all for their own gain.

It made Tsuna hate the mafia more than he ever could. He hated the corruption within his own "family". If he wasn't being dragged down to his own personal hell, he would have gone back to the Ninth and continued with the ceremony. He would have changed the Vongola once and for all...

But he couldn't do that now, could he?

Enma's body shook. Just something as small as one man's betrayal started a grudge that transcended the generations all the way down to him. It was so painful to see all of the losses that had been caused because of that alone. And he had caused so much of it.

"As promised, the guardians of the Shimon family have been restored." Vindice announced once the memory was over.

The only consolation Enma had now was that his family was going to have their lives back, but that relief was overshadowed by the guilt that he had pulled Tsuna into this. While this had been something that would have given him the greatest pleasure before - a thought that made him a bit sick at himself now - that was not the case now. Now he was wishing that he could go down alone, wishing that he was the only one that had to suffer.

Why did Tsuna have to act so damn noble and go down with him? It wasn't even just noble, it was stupid. He was grateful for the sentiment, but he didn't want it. Damn he wished that the Vindice would have looked at the defeat of pride alone. His had broken, because there was no need for revenge. There was nothing to take revenge on because there had been no betrayal. Damn it all. Damn it!

But as the darkness was creeping over him, chains wrapped around his body making him unable to move his arms or legs, and making it hard to breathe or try to yell out with the one that was tight around his neck. Discomfort and some pain were evident on his features. But eyes looked up, fully attentive, forgetting any pain and discomfort, when the Vindice spoke about his family. They were restored. They were coming now. When he saw them be returned from the dark, relief dominated in that very moment. He choked out a weak and breathless laughter as he felt tears sting in the corner of his eyes. He had seen it. They really were okay, they really were back.

It was harder for Tsuna to see now. His lower body was completely taken by the darkness. It wouldn't be long now before the rest of him followed. He dully noticed how Adelheid was the first to regain her strength. He knew that she was exhausted. He could see how weak she was but she was determined to not let her boss go. He watched her wobble to her feet, breathing heavily as she yelled at Vindice, shocking them out of their silence.

Momentarily, they stopped the chains from pulling at the two bosses. They watched her scream as she pulled at the chains, trying her hardest to summon her flames. Tears of frustration began to fill her eyes. Her cries snapped his guardians out of their stupor and Tsuna almost wished he could have been pulled away so he didn't have to see what happened next.

Enma's eyes widened a bit as he saw Adelheid stagger to her feet to try and stop his capture. Pain wracked his chest as he watched her struggle to pull at the chains... and soon, Rauji, Shitt-P., Kaoru... they came to help, and even Koyo too. Together they were struggling to pull him free with strength they did not have. He saw their exhaustion, and it seemed they were fighting pain as well. He bit his lip, feeling the tears of guilt spill over.

He didn't deserve them fighting for him.

They had gotten hurt and nearly imprisoned for eternity.

No... They needed to help the Vongola now. He was supposed to be taken, that was for sure. Tsuna wasn't. They needed to help keep Tsuna from being taken away.

Gokudera's eyes flared as his flames exploded around him, blowing away those next to him. Vindice was shocked, it was obvious. Even they momentarily stepped back. "Juudaime!" he screamed, rushing forward at break neck speeds. His attack caused Vindice to snap out of their stupor, resuming their pull on the two boys almost frantically. Tsuna coughed as a chain around his neck pulled him back, cutting off his air. Pain flashed across his face as he made eye contact with Gokudera who seemed to be losing his grip on the world as Tsuna began sinking faster.

Tsuna grabbed at the chain around his neck, trying to loosen his grip to make it easier to breathe. Tears formed in his eyes as chains wrapped around his wrist, thinking that he was attempting to break free. "Gah!"

Gokudera was close, his hands stretched out towards Tsuna. Reaching his hands out on instinct, Tsuna tried to grab his right hand man's hand. Unfortunately, the chains around his wrist pulled his hands back as one of the members of Vindice dived forward, ramming into Gokudera, sending the silver haired man flying in the opposite direction.

Tsuna could see the dark cloak bellowing around the bandaged body before him. Why was this taking so long? Why couldn't they just hurry and take him? End the fight. End the pain. He couldn't breathe. His head was swirling as his brain began to shut down from the lack of air.

"A-Adel! It... It's alright! Help the Vongola! Don't let the Vindice take Tsuna-kun!" Enma yelled to her as the chains had slackened from the Vindice's distraction. The surprise and complete shock coupled with confusion overtook his family's faces.

"Just help the Vongola, pl-Agh!"

But as he yelled again, it was during his sentence that the Vindice had started to pull at him again and nearly cut off his ability to breathe. Pain crossed his features again and as faded a bit, he cracked his eyes open to see Adel and Shitt-P moving to do as he instructed, though the others seemed hesitant. He saw all of Tsuna's guardians fighting to get him broken free just the same, and he was hoping with everything that he had that they would succeed.

Just before the darkness enclosed him, Tsuna could see the cloaked figure in front of him jump back as a flame enhanced tonfa and a bandaged fist connected with the ground where he just stood. Tsuna saw the angered eyes of Hibari, much to his surprise, and the fearful eyes of Ryohei who also dived forward towards him just as Hibari pivoted on his heel and lunged once more at Vindice.

Enma held his breath. _Tsuna-kun… Please… Save him!_

But as the fight seemed to slowly be favoring them, the Vindice made their last move and pulled them away, out of all possible grasp. And just as that darkness encased him, so did pain and guilt.

Tsuna's lips quivered, letting his tears fall freely as the darkness finally encased him just before Ryohei's hand could grab at his collar.

Silence fell over the guardians as Enma, Tsuna, and Vindice faded from view. Cold dread began to fill the pits of their soul.

They had failed as guardians…

They hadn't been able to save them.

* * *

_TBC_

* * *

_OKAY YEAH. I STILL KNOW THAT THIS WAS LIKE 5 MONTHS LATE… I'M SORRY!_

_I'm going to start writing chapter updates for Mistletoe and Snapped. Bear with me!_


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